Five adults and two dogs were able to safely escape a residential structure fire in the Barboursville area of Albemarle County reported early Sunday morning.
Units from Albemarle County Fire Rescue were dispatched to the fire in the 3700 block of Vineyard Road in Barboursville at 12:18 a.m. Sunday.
The first units arrived on scene at 12:42 a.m.
The residents and the dogs had been able to safely self-evacuate the scene.
No injuries were reported.
The displaced residents are being assisted by the American Red Cross.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Albemarle County Fire Marshal’s Office, but appears to be accidental in nature.
Albemarle County Fire Rescue shared with us safety tips to ensure your home’s heating equipment is inspected and used properly:
- Have your heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
- Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment (furnace, fireplace, woodstove, or portable space heater.)
- Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
- Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
- Make sure your fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container a safe distance from your home.
- Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
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Chris Graham
